Give Your Heart A Break
by Chelty-chan and YeahWhatever12
Summary: 'The day Naruto happened to mention to Neji-nii-san and his friends that he would never fall in love again,..ironically, happened to be the day that I realised I was in love with him." With an overbearing dad, crazy friends, college and a bleak, uncertain future full of huge decisions to worry about, being in love with her best friend was the least of Hinata's worries. AU NARUHINA.
1. Prologue: Homecoming

_**Gah! I know! I should be updating the other story NOT starting a new one! BUT THIS IDEA WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE! But worry not; now that its out, I can finish working on my updates for the other story, which are already half-done.**_

_**On to the story!**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**For Myomi-chan: Because she is awesome! And deserves like A LOT of CONGRATULATIONS! CONGRATS MYOMI! (I know this is so late)**

**For illi-chan (or illi777): because she rocks! And she told me she loves stories like this…and I hope she loves this one as well.**

* * *

_**Summary: The day I overheard Naruto-kun happen to mention to Neji-nii-san and his friends that he would never fall in love again was… ironically, the day I realised that I was in love with him.**_

* * *

X-X-X-X-X

* * *

"_Aw, come on Hinata!" _

Hinata winced, holding her cell phone away from her ringing ear. As much as she loved her two best friends to pieces, sometimes Hinata found herself just a trifle bit exasperated with them. Example: when they shrieked in her ear like that, which unfortunately for Hinata's eardrums, happened a lot.

Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura.

Two of the most energetic and free-spirited girls Hinata knew. They were also known as: her two best friends and roommates. And sometimes also known as: the orchestrators of Hinata's doom.

"I'm sorry, guys," Hinata sighed. "I just can't."

Sakura's whine immediately carried over the speaker.

"_But you only turn the big one-eight once! Come on, pleaaaaaaase?" _

"_Forehead is right, girl. Nothing beats turning 18," _Ino agreed. _"Except maybe turning 21…or the big 30…no wait! 40-"_

"_I think she gets it, Pig."_

"_My point is, Hinata," _Ino continued, unperturbed by Sakura's jab._ "You wouldn't let us throw you a proper sweet 16, so by right as your best friends, we are going to throw you the wildest, most fantabulous 18__th__ birthday party evaaar!"_

"_I second that!"_

"Guys," Hinata complained, feeling a migraine coming on. Conference calls with these two were starting to become a stressful thing lately. "I don't want a huge party…I'm serious."

"_Yeah, well so are we!" _Sakura huffed.

"_Sorry, but you have no say in this, doll." _Ino added sweetly._ "We already talked to your Dad and he gave us the OK. Party's at your place in exactly two weeks!"_

Okay… Hinata did not see _**that**_ coming.

"Y-you did w-what…?" she squeaked, mortified.

"_Yep! The whole thing is pretty much planned already! Isn't that great?" _Ino squealed._ "Everybody who's anybody is going to be there!"_

Hinata remained silent, frozen in her seat with her phone to her ear. They did…_**what?!**_

"…_and Kiba offered to DJ, but I couldn't let Chouji be in charge of food and drinks…for obvious reasons," _Ino was rambling now, oblivious to Hinata's momentary inattention. _"So,_ _Neji, Tenten and Shikamaru are in charge of decorations. Lee wanted to help them, but I'm sure we can all agree that letting Lee of all people help with the decorations would be a big no-no. Ooh, and I talked to Naruto earlier and he said he and Sasuke have already handled the flowers-"_

"_Oh yeah, I think Naruto and Sasuke should be back by now with those,"_ Sakura interrupted. _"They left like three hours ago. I'm supposed to meet up with them at the caterer's for a booking appointment at- Shit! I'm late! Its already 2! I gotta go guys! Sasuke hates being kept waiting! TTYL!"_

Sakura's line clicked and Ino tsked, making a comment Hinata didn't hear as she laughed at Sakura's ditsyness, but Hinata wasn't laughing, if possible she was even stiffer than before.

Did she just say Naruto...?

* * *

XXXXXX

* * *

Hinata sighed as she stepped out of the cab, and as her pale lavender eyes roved around of their own accord, she smiled as she took in the familiar street and the giant maple trees that lined it. The street was empty, which Hinata found odd. She was used to finding it full of noisy children playing all sorts of games. These children a.k.a Konohamaru and his friends were nowhere to be seen this time though. But then again, it was around lunchtime and she reckoned the kids must have been indoors because of that.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she inhaled deeply. How she had missed the sweet maple scent of Konoha. It was good to be home.

Smiling, she turned and thanked the cab driver as she paid her fare, and then took a few steps back as the cab's engine revved, watching as it sped off before turning back around to face the gates. She paused, standing still; facing the house she called home. She called it home, but the number of times she had been in it in the space of four years; she could count on one hand. She could hardly believe it had been two whole years since the last time she had been home.

_**Wow. Time sure flies when you're having fun in boarding school**_, she thought somewhat dryly.

She continued to stand motionless in front of the gate, simply staring up at the mansion before her, her hand clenching and unclenching a fistful of her skirt.

She let out a puff of breath.

It wasn't that she was nervous about being home. No, not at all. Why would she be? She loved visiting and being in her hometown. Not only because she loved Konoha to begin with, but also because it gave her a chance to see all her male friends. That was one of the downsides to being in an all-girl boarding school; she didn't get to see her male friends for months, even years at a time. But Hinata loved it, nonetheless. She had made some irreplaceable friends there, and she would always cherish her years with them, but she couldn't help but feel a little melancholic about there not being any going back this time around.

For she had just graduated from her Senior and… final year of high school.

She sighed rubbing up and down her arms despite the warm weather.

Summers were normally, extremely enjoyable in Konoha. The hot warmth of the sun and the compensating cool breeze enticed nearly all of the town's population to the beach every single day till the first leaves of the Fall season would begin to fall.

A smile spread across her visage again as she realised that Ino and Sakura would probably be dragging her, along with everyone else to the beach anytime soon. And as she stood there thinking of ways to avoid that bikini her two best friends were probably planning to trick her into wearing at least once this summer, Hinata was only dimly aware of the crunching sound of someone's footsteps on the gravel as they walked up behind her, but she was too distracted to pay them full attention.

"Hinata?" a voice she knew all too well, asked unsurely.

She slowly turned around and then froze.

"N-Naruto?" she asked uncertainly, even though she had recognized him instantly.

The bright blonde locks on his head and the captivating blue eyes that were currently looking her up and down were kind of hard to forget. She tensed. Clearly, she was NOT expecting to see him so soon, she had just arrived for Pete's sake! She had been hoping to avoid a fainting spell for **_at least_** another two days.

He flashed a grin, the confusion clearing from his face immediately.

"It _IS_ you!" he laughed, rushing forward to capture her in a bone-crushing hug.

Hinata tensed, and after a second of hesitation, she willed her frozen limbs to return his embrace as she absently wondered why she was still conscious and not out cold on the pavement. As if on cue, she could feel herself growing lightheaded, her body reminding her that she had stopped her intake of oxygen.

Naruto released her, and she thankfully inhaled deeply as he took a few steps back to get out of her personal space, muttering apologies.

"I-It's okay." She stammered, and he grinned.

"I can't believe it's actually you!" he laughed. "I almost didn't recognize you…. you look really…well, you look really…different." He finished lamely, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

Hinata blinked down at herself, taking in her long flowing hair and the simple white sundress she was wearing that matched the flat white pumps on her feet. Aside from the charm bracelet on her wrist; she wore no other jewelry. And because she didn't particularly like the stuff, her face was devoid of any makeup. Wondering what it was he was implying by his odd word choice, she began to fidget, touching her two index fingers together, a habit she thought she had outgrown. Realising she was fidgeting; she flushed, clasping her hands together behind her back to hold them still.

"O-Oh…R-Really?" she stammered.

"Yeah." He nodded, and then noticed her fidgeting. "Oh don't worry, it's a good different!" He amended. "Like your hair for example…you grew it out. It looks…nice." He finished, looking at her shiny indigo-purplish hair.

It had always been hard for people to discern what colour Hinata's hair was, but in the bright afternoon sunlight, it was near impossible; the colour alternating from purple to indigo to lavender and back again.

"Th-Thanks." She stuttered, self-consciously reaching a hand up to tug on a few indigo locks. After a glance at him, she paused, letting the indigo locks fall back into place. Her hair, which she had let grow to about mid-back, nearly reaching her waist, swished gently with the movement, and she calmed slightly from the soothing feeling of it rubbing against her back.

"Y-You haven't changed m-much yourself…Naruto."

"Really?" he blinked. "People keep telling me I've gotten taller."

"Ah…well…y-you have gotten taller." She conceded, noticing that she had to lift her head slightly if she wanted to look at his face…not that she would, in any case.

How did boys grow so fast? She wondered, remembering that her brother was now the same height as her father.

"So have you." He pointed out, walking up to her to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her to prove his point. "See? Last time i saw you you couldn't even reach my shoulders."

Hinata felt her face heat up when their shoulders brushed, and immediately stepped away. "Y-Yeah, I g-guess you're r-right."

He flashed another grin, and she instantly relaxed, vaguely wondering how it was possible for something as simple as a smile to calm her. Then again, she reasoned, Naruto had always managed to stump her. She never really could understand how he managed to make her feel the way she did whenever he was near, without even being aware that he did so.

"So," he started, pulling her out of her inner ramblings. "Did you just get back?"

"Un." She nodded.

"I don't see any bags," he said, looking around.

"Oh, my bags were already picked up from school yesterday, before I left." She explained, biting back an amused laugh at how he had been looking around like he expected the bags to suddenly just pop up.

_**He hasn't changed at all**_. She thought fondly as she smiled.

She snapped out of her thoughts when his blue eyes snapped back to her, and she noted the familiar fluttering of butterflies in her tummy, and she found herself wondering yet again, how someone could manage to tilt her so off balance with the simplest of things.

A smile.

A glance.

She sighed, averting her gaze as her arm draped itself across her midriff, trying futilely to calm her fluttering tummy that seemed determined to continue flip-flopping till she passed out from the nerves.

So… even being away from him for two whole years had changed nothing it seemed_._

"You know," his voice broke through her jumbled thoughts again, and when her eyes snapped up to meet his, he paused to laugh again. "I thought Neji was just messing with me."

Hinata's brow furrowed. "Big Brother?" she questioned, wondering what her brother was up to.

It then occurred to her that it was too much of a coincidence for Naruto to just happen to walk by her house when she was due to arrive home. She was starting to get an uneasy feeling, which she took to be a bad sign. First Ino and Sakura, and now Neji too?

"Yeah," Naruto was saying, shaking her out of her troubled thoughts. "He said you were coming home today, but…I didn't believe him."

She blinked, raising an eyebrow. Since when did he doubt her brother? He wasn't one to lie to people.

Seeing her raised eyebrow, Naruto shrugged. "You kinda _**did**_ stay away from home for two years," he chuckled, knowing that was explanation enough.

His chuckles became a full laugh when her mouth made an 'O' shape as the thought registered. At the sound of his familiar laugh, she smiled, realising then just how much she had actually missed her friend.

Her best friend.

She then wondered if he was upset with her for having stayed away for so long. As ridiculous as that thought sounded, Naruto being the kind of person he was, she wanted to know.

"Are…Are you mad?"

His chortles immediately subsided.

"Mad?" he repeated, his head tilting to the side to study her.

She nodded. "Yeah," she answered softly, lowering her head when she couldn't stand his eye contact anymore. "Are you mad at me…for staying away so long, I mean." She elaborated.

Understanding flittered across his features and he sighed, a low chuckle rumbling forth from deep inside his chest, and Hinata noted for the first time just how deep his voice had gotten.

"Gee, let me see, my best friend has been away from home for two whole years and I haven't heard so much as a peep from her in that time," he recounted, "that taken into consideration, am I mad at her? Hmm, what do you think, Hina-chan? Am I mad?" he asked, his voice teasing.

Hinata's head snapped up at his use of her childhood nickname. Very few people in their circle of friend still used honorifics with their names anymore, and hearing the affectionate use of the suffix added to her nickname had a wave of nostalgia hitting her square in the face.

He was grinning lopsidedly at her, and she couldn't stop the amused laugh that bubbled up.

"Oh speaking of your brother," Naruto snapped his fingers, as a thought occurred to him, "I'm supposed to meet up with him right now."

"I- I thought you were s-supposed to be meeting Sakura, r-right now."

"How'd you know?" Naruto asked as he quirked an eyebrow. "Never mind, I was supposed to meet up with Sakura, yeah, but I let Sasuke-temeh go by himself." He shrugged.

Hinata chuckled. "Y-you still call him that?"

"Yup! I'm going to keep calling him that till like the day I die… and stuff."

"Right…and stuff," Hinata laughed.

"You remember!"

"Of course, h-how could I forget," she smiled. "Scott Pilgrim was your favorite movie of 2010."

His eyes widened a fraction…and then his face split into a bright, wide grin.

Hinata shuffled uncomfortably, the still fluttering butterflies in her stomach were growing ever more restless with each passing second. She stole a glance at the mansion, and then shuffled some more.

What the heck was she supposed to say now? And since when was Naruto so quiet anyways?

Intrigued, she sneaked a peak at him and saw him typing on his phone. Probably texting. Ah…that explained that.

"Hey, Hinata?" he asked, once he had slid his phone shut and stuffed it back into his pocket.

"Hmm?"

"I'm supposed to go bowling with Neji later. Tenten, Shikamaru and Chouji are also coming," he paused to scratch the back of his neck, "you wanna come? …bowling, with me, I mean?" he elaborated, like he thought she'd think he meant someone else.

Hinata froze.

* * *

XXXXXX

* * *

Later that evening, as Hinata sat unpacking in her room, she sighed, contentedly relishing in the feeling of being home in the privacy of her room. As much as she loved sharing her dorm with her best friends back at school, Hinata found that she had missed the private sanctuary that was her room.

The servants had informed her that her father and younger sister had left home early that morning on a business trip to the other side of town, but that they would be back in time for dinner.

She looked up at the clock on the wall, and noted that it would be dinner time in about an hour or so, most likely two, considering Neji wasn't home yet either. As if on cue, she heard the front door open.

Hinata fidgeted nervously, knowing that her brother would most likely come straight to her room, seeing as she hadn't seen him yet since her arrival. She swallowed as she heard his footsteps ascend the stairs.

What the heck am I so nervous about? It's just a question. One teeny tiny question. Shouldn't take more than five seconds. Come on! Man up, girl! She scolded herself half-heartedly, preparing herself mentally for the conversation she was about to have with the brother she hadn't seen in over two years. Save for the occasional postcard and letter, Hinata hadn't really communicated much with her brother over the years.

"Hinata."

Hinata looked up from where she sat on the floor of her room to see her brother at the open door, leaning on the doorjamb. She had been so busy giving herself a 'mental pep talk' to notice that he had arrived at her door already. She hadn't even heard him knock. Then again, he probably hadn't since the door was already wide open.

"Oh, hello Nii-san." She greeted, giving him a small smile. "Please, come in."

Neji walked in, manoeuvring carefully around the piles of clothes that sat on the floor around Hinata. Looking around, said girl blushed self-consciously.

"S-sorry about the mess," she laughed nervously, "I'm not quite done unpacking yet."

"Yeah…I can see _that_. You know you could have just let the servants do it _for you_, right?"

Hinata tensed. Oh, she was toast.

"I know." She nodded, "but I wanted to do it myself. I … got used to unpacking by myself at school." She finished lamely.

Neji raised an eyebrow at her. "O-Kay…I'll pretend I believe that." He sat down on the corner of her bed. The only part of her room it seemed, that wasn't covered in clothing.

"It looks like a clothes grenade went off in here." He commented. "Since when did you start packing heavy?"

"Most of it isn't mine." Hinata chuckled as she shook her head. "It belongs to Ino and Sakura. They didn't have enough space in their bags so I offered to carry some of their stuff in mine." She explained. "I'm sorting it out so they can tell what belongs to who when they pick it up tomorrow."

"Ah." Neji nodded. "That explains the excessive amount of pink and purple clothing."

Hinata smiled, and they lapsed into an awkward silence. Bored already, Neji stood up and walked around his sister's room, busying himself with seeing all the new stuff she'd brought with her that she'd set up.

If the way Hinata was twiddling her hands was any indication, it would take a while for her to say whatever it was she wanted to say. He reckoned idle chit-chat could help relax her.

"Ne, Hinata?"

"Yes?"

"Did Sakura and Ino tell you that Miss Tsunade is holding a "Graduation ceremony" for all of you on Sunday?" he asked, gesturing with air quotes.

She gave him a puzzled look. "But…we all already had grad ceremonies at our respective schools."

Neji shrugged. "She said something about wanting all of you to graduate like we did in elementary school, you know, before you guys all scattered to go to different boarding schools for the rest of high school."

"Ohhh," she mumbled. That made sense…sort of. Oh who was she kidding, it made no sense, even though it was sweet of Tsunade to do it for them.

Tsunade was the school principal of the elementary school Hinata, her brother and her friends had all attended as kids. Although she could be pretty scary sometimes, Hinata knew that Tsunade was a very kind woman, and despite the fact that she looked a little young for her age, she was the one of the few motherly figures Hinata had in her life, as she happened to be her godmother.

Hinata hadn't noticed that they had lapsed into silence again. But Neji did, and his patience had just about run out.

"Something wrong?" he asked, regarding her with pale, calculating eyes.

Hinata gulped. This was it.

"Um…no…I-I just wanted t-to ask y-you about s-something." she stammered, folding her legs underneath herself self-consciously as she picked up some folded clothes and put them aside.

_**Oh boy**_, Neji sighed internally. _**Here we go again.**_

"Hn." He hummed; an inclination for her to continue.

"Um..I um..we-well you s-see.."

Neji sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What is it, Hinata?"

"Oh, r-right. s-sorry."

She flinched when Neji huffed irritably.

"Hinata. You are going to be 18 years old in a few weeks. When are you going to stop stuttering like that when you talk?" He admonished.

Hinata managed a sheepish laugh.

Neji merely sighed and shook his head.

They fell into an awkward silence again, Hinata unsure of how to start talking again. Neji seeing no end to it, decided to take the initiative.

"Is there a reason as to why you declined the invitation to go bowling with us this afternoon?" he asked offhandedly. "Tenten was a little…miffed that you didn't come with us. Actually all of us were." He added.

Hinata flinched, her face turning an interesting shade of red.

_**I knew it.**_ Neji sighed internally. Hinata was just too predictable.

"Hinata…" He started.

"N-No! It isn't l-like I d-didn't w-want...I mean I w-wanted to unpack a-and…" she trailed off, voice fading. Neji knew. There was no point in putting up an act.

She sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"He could have used the company, you know." Neji sighed. "I mean, even I could tell he felt like a third wheel."

Hinata remained silent for a few moments, contemplating that. Neji didn't even have to use a name, she knew already who he meant.

"B-But, I thought Shikamaru and Chouji-"

"They didn't show up," Neji interrupted. "Something about their parents sending them somewhere on an errand or something of the sort."

"Oh," Hinata managed weakly, unable to think of anything else to say.

"So, why didn't you come?" Neji asked, adjusting his hair-tie in the mirror, all the while studying his sister's reflection.

"I…couldn't." she answered finally. "I couldn't do it."

Neji sighed and then shrugged, turning to leave. There was nothing else to say, except…

"Oh and Hinata?" he paused at the doorway.

She looked up at his back. "Yes?"

"In answer to your question?" He smirked at her over his shoulder, as she looked up at him expectantly with hopeful eyes. "No. Naruto still doesn't have a girlfriend…well, not yet anyway."

And with that, Neji walked out, leaving his sister to her thoughts.

* * *

XXXXXX

* * *

Hinata sighed, falling backwards on her bed to stare up at her ceiling. It flustered – and annoyed – her to no end when her brother answered her unspoken questions like that. But it didn't matter, since he had given her the information she wanted.

Naruto…still had no girlfriend.

Hope fluttered in her chest. Maybe, just maybe she could…

But then the rest of Neji's words rang through her head again.

_**Not yet...anyway.**_

She sighed, grabbing one of her huge white pillows and hugging it close to her chest.

Who was she kidding? There was no way it was going to happen…Ever. Naruto was her best friend, and he'd continue to be just her best friend. Probably, until they died, she thought forlornly.

"…and stuff." She sighed aloud.

She let her eyes flutter closed, wondering how it was that she had only been home for some mere hours and she was already choked up on something Naruto-related.

Absently, she heard the front door open again, and from the high pitched scream of her name, she knew her sister and father were home.

"Hinata-nee-chaaaan!"

Hinata groaned, feeling her slight headache erupt into a full-blown migraine as she remembered that her father would probably want to start talking about colleges ASAP.

"Hinata!"

"Coming!" she called, wincing at the pounding in her head as she swung her legs over and sat up, quickly grabbing her slippers before she hurried downstairs to greet the rest of her family.

* * *

_**Okay, I know right now it seems like the same old cliché, generic Hinata-Naruto story where he suddenly has an epiphany, declares his undying love and they run off into the sunset and they have lavender eyed blond babies. BUT I swear there's more to it than that! It actually has a serious plot to it, I promise! Please review, follow, fave it, heck, flame it if you want, I don't know, just let me know! ;) and tell me what you think, if people like it, I'll update, if not, I'll just go cry in a corner somewhere….and update anyway bwahahaha**_


	2. Indecision

**Check it out, me updating regularly, shocker!**

**I forgot to mention that this entire story (Which I have a feeling will probably be long) is based entirely on one song. Title, you guessed it, Give Your Heart A Break, artist Demi Lovato, she's awesome.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you may recognize.**

* * *

**ACT I: INDECISION**

**Chapter I**

_**Let me give your heart a break, give your heart a break, there's just so much you can take – Demi Lovato.**_

* * *

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

* * *

The next morning, Hinata woke up to the sound of something soothing; almost as if it were lulling her back to sleep…oh wait, no. That wasn't it.

No, her phone was ringing.

_I got a pocketful, a pocketful of sunshine, I've got a love, got a love and it's all mine ohh-_

She rolled over and slowly blinked a few times, trying to clear her sleep-muddled mind and ascertain the severity of her headache this morning at the same time. Letting out a sigh of a relief when she found no trace of it, she sat up and yawned, stretching languidly as she mentally thanked the painkillers she'd taken before going to bed the night before.

_I got a pocketful, a pocketful of sunshine, I've got a love, got a love and it's all mine ohh-_

Oh, right her phone was ringing.

Hinata frowned slightly as she recognized the personalized ringtone. It was either Sakura or Ino calling. She used that ringtone for them because both girls hated the song with a passion, having deemed it annoying, while Hinata loved it.

She pushed her covers off, immediately wincing when the cold morning air hit her. She leaned over, reaching blindly for her phone on the nightstand with one hand as she tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes with the other.

As she fumbled for the device, she vaguely wondered which of her two best friends was calling, or if she was unlucky both of them. She groaned slightly as her hand curved around it, knowing that if it was another conference call, her headache would probably be back full force by the time they hung up.

She let out a sigh as she flipped it open and put it to her ear. "Hello…?" she answered blearily.

"_Morning!"_ an unusually cheerful voice sang into her ear.

"Good Morning Ino," Hinata sighed. Only she would be that excited this early, Sakura wasn't a morning person.

Hinata frowned again as she peered at her alarm clock.

6:54 AM.

Damn it, she still had an hour and six minutes till her alarm was **supposed** to ring.

"_Morning Hinata…"_ a weary and disgruntled voice spoke up. _"I guess Ino was heartless enough to wake you before eight on a Sunday too."_

"Morning Sakura," Hinata yawned.

"_Ugh, you guys are just lazy,"_ Ino scoffed. The only responses she received were commiserating grumbles. _"WAKE UP ALREADY!"_ she snapped, losing her patience with her sleep deprived friends. When she heard the tell-tale shrieks of surprise, closely followed by dull thuds, indicating that they had fallen out of bed, she smirked triumphantly, not that either one of them could see it.

"_I hate you,"_ Sakura hissed as soon as she had recovered her phone. _"Oh, how I wish my morning breath could reach you over the phone. At least then it would knock you out and I could sleep."_

"_Mmhm, love you too, Saku-darling,"_ Ino responded sweetly. _"And bt-dubs... EW."_

Hinata chuckled lightly.

"_Okay, now that you guys are fully awake," _Ino continued,_ "I'll outline our itinerary for today."_

Sakura's groan carried over the speaker. "_Couldn't this wait till eight…or nine at least?"_ She complained.

"_No,"_ Ino scoffed. _"We have to finish planning for the party ASAP! We only have two weeks left!"_

"_Exactly Ino, we still have two freaking weeks,"_ Sakura retorted, not seeing the need for Ino's urgency, _"that's fourteen days, that's a whole damn fortnight, that's…"_ she paused, _"how many hours are there in two weeks, Hinata?"_

"336," Hinata replied automatically, still distractedly rubbing her now slightly sore derrière on which she had so painfully landed. She was lucky she had that thick rug by her bed; otherwise she would have had a broken tailbone to worry about on top of everything else.

"_You see, 336 hours, we've got time. Besides, we've got the main stuff already sorted out," _Sakura was saying in the middle of a yawn, _"we have a venue, a DJ, catering and flowers-"_

"_Yeah, but we still haven't figured out the theme,"_ Ino cut in. _"We haven't decided on what we're going to wear, hair and make-up, entertainment for the guests, the music, not to mention the-"_

"_We can do it later!"_ Sakura snapped, obviously cranky about having had her sleep interrupted.

"Guys," Hinata started, intending to stop the impending argument. "Let's not argue, we won't agree on anything if we do."

She was starting to detect a pattern here; a conference call, an Ino-Sakura argument, and finally her with a migraine at the end of the call.

"How about we meet and discuss everything over lunch?" she suggested, trying to placate both girls. "This way, both Ino's desire to forever remain on schedule and Sakura's need for nine hours of sleep can be satisfied."

"_Perfect! Now if you'll excuse me, my bed is getting cold." _And with that, Sakura's line went dead.

"_She did that on purpose so I couldn't change the time,"_ Ino scoffed_. "Guess, I'll see you at lunch then Hina-darling, Chao!"_

The line clicked shortly after Hinata's mumbled goodbye, and she let out a sigh of relief as she flopped back on to her bed to bury herself in the warm fortress, only to get up a few minutes later, too awake now to get back to sleep. After making her bed, she slowly padded to her bathroom to ready herself for the day.

* * *

**X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X**

* * *

When she descended the stairs close to an hour later, she wasn't surprised to find both her siblings and her father already up and in the middle of breakfast.

Absently toying with the white ribbon she'd used to tie her still shower-damp hair up in a high ponytail, Hinata walked into the dining room, bidding them all a good morning as she made her way to her seat. They all mumbled a response as she pulled out a chair and sat.

"Ne, Nee-chan?" Hanabi piped up as she set her cup of juice down, "Can my friends and I come to your birthday party?"

Hinata smiled at her sister as she reached for the toast. "Sure, I don't see why not," she answered as she put a few slices on her plate, reaching for the jam next. "Why are you even asking for permission?"

"Heard it was just for you and your friends only," Hanabi shrugged. "Special invites and what not."

"No, of course you're invited, you're my sister for Pete's sake-"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Neji interjected, effectively stopping Hanabi mid-celebration.

"Why not?!" the 14-year-old demanded.

"If I'm not mistaken, this party is being planned by Yamanaka, am I correct?" Neji asked, calmly taking a bite out of the toast he'd just finished buttering.

Hinata nodded slowly, "Yes, Ino is planning it, with Sakura's and my help of course." _Unwillingly_, she added in her head. But really, after her father had given the go ahead, she'd pretty much been left with no choice.

"Then I don't think Hanabi and her friends should be there." Neji concluded, picking up his cup of coffee to sip regally.

"Should I be concerned?" their father interrupted, cutting off Hanabi's whine and Hinata's obvious attempt to defend her friends.

"No," Neji shrugged, "I just don't want Hanabi anywhere near Yamanaka. She'll plant strange ideas in her head."

"What about Nee-chan?" Hanabi complained.

"Hinata is the same age and so I'm confident she can't be influenced as easily as you, who is still in your more impressionable and formative years." Neji shot back.

"There's only a four-year age gap between us," Hanabi pointed out. "And I think we all know I'm not easily swayed." She scoffed, standing up abruptly, done with her breakfast. "Besides, I already promised my friends they could come. The party is all anyone's been talking about the past few days, and everyone who's anyone is going to be there. So, I'm sorry Nii-san, but I _can't_ not go, I have a rep to protect."

"Where are you going, princess?" her father asked, as she started to leave.

"I'm going over to Moegi's." she answered, and then shot a devious smile at Neji. "We have to go shopping for outfits for the party, so I guess I'll be at the mall. Byeee!" she sang, leaving before anyone – Neji – could stop her.

Hinata chuckled lightly as Neji frowned at the door Hanabi had just left through, and for a while, besides the tings and clinks of cutlery and china, there was silence at the table as they all turned their attention back to finishing their breakfast.

Hinata helped herself to some more eggs after finishing her toast, feeling a little bit more famished than usual because she had missed dinner the night before. In between thinking about planning a party she didn't want and dodging her father's attempt to talk about what college she'd be going to at the end of the summer, as well as her Naruto-related funk, she'd been so stressed her appetite had suffered.

Hiashi cleared his throat lightly before he broke the silence, breaking into Hinata's troubled thoughts. "Hinata," he started.

'_Oh boy,_' she swallowed the egg in her mouth, knowing what was coming next. "Yes, Father?"

"Have you given any thought to college yet?" he paused to wipe his mouth with his napkin, "I know you're going to be busy with all you're planning and your so called 'graduation ceremony' coming up and what not, but I'm sure you at least have a list of the potential schools you're interested in by now."

Neji paused, fork halfway to his mouth, eyes flicking to his sister, who was now sporting a 'deer-caught-in-the-headlights' expression, her eggs forgotten.

"I want to see it soon, so I know who I'll be calling to set up a tour of said campuses as soon as possible." Hiashi continued, not looking up from the omelet he was cutting. "I have to start talking to the school deans as soon as possible so you can get a feel of the curriculum and programs each institution has to offer."

"Uh…um…well," Hinata floundered.

"I suppose you wouldn't need to do that," Hiashi interrupted, stroking his chin thoughtfully. He nodded once, smiling wryly as he picked up his coffee. "It's not like your choices are that difficult. You have only a few options. KMU, TU, or if you so wish, you may even consider SIBAS."

Hinata froze, recognizing the names.

The Konoha Memorial University.

The University of Tokyo.

And… The Suna Institution of Business and Accountancy Studies.

These were the finest institutions that offered business majored courses and programs in Japan. Also known as, the schools her father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and so on, a long line of well-known Hyuuga lineage had gone to.

Neji himself, was already in his first year at KMU, pursuing his law degree.

Hinata started coughing; realizing belatedly that the juice she had been drinking had gone into her airway.

"Are you alright?"

Hinata swallowed and inhaled deeply through her nose before she nodded, her face a little red from the coughing.

"I trust you shall be no different from your predecessors," her father continued, going back to his breakfast as Hinata reached for a glass of water. "Not that I'd be surprised, you graduated with the highest scores in your class, and you made the top five scores for your whole intake, just like your brother."

Hinata swallowed her water thickly, nodding mutely. She sent her brother a pleading glance, but his eyes were fixated on the half-eaten pancake on his plate, and Hinata noticed only then that he had been oddly silent, not having said a word since Hanabi's departure, the thought making her more on edge than she already was.

"So, have you decided between Business Administration and Economics for your major?" Hiashi asked conversationally, ignoring the sudden tension in the air.

"Perhaps you should discuss this after Hinata's birthday, Father," Neji suggested stiffly, having noticed how pale Hinata had become, "With all the planning she has to do, I doubt she'll be able to do any proper consideration to make the best choice."

"I suppose you're right," Hiashi conceded. "Very well then, we shall discuss it after your birthday, Hinata."

Said girl nodded meekly and then shot her brother a grateful glance. He nodded, giving her a small smile that Hinata recognized as false, and she knew instantly that he was angry.

Uh oh.

"I shall be in my study all day today," Hiashi spoke as he pushed his chair back, done with his meal. "I have a lot of documents I need to go over and I wish not to be disturbed. Let Hitori know, so that no servants disturb me."

Hinata nodded once, making a mental note to seek out the elderly house matron as soon as she was done with her meal. She sighed as she glanced at her brother as their father exited the dining hall.

"Nii-san?" she called tentatively, her pale eyes worriedly fixed on the fork he was clutching. "Are you …are you okay?"

"I can't believe him," he muttered darkly, the fork clattering on his plate as he pushed his chair back. "How dare he?"

Hinata remained silent, unsure of what to say. She knew her brother didn't necessarily get along with their father, but it saddened her to see that that hadn't changed in her two-year absence from home. And now that Neji was in college, and usually away from home, she could imagine things hadn't gotten any better.

"I'm going to go finish packing," he abruptly stood, "I think I'll be moving into campus later tonight."

"But, I thought your second term opens next week," Hinata looked up at him with a puzzled frown, "your lectures don't even start for another three weeks."

"Lee's already in school and Tenten and Temari will be reporting tomorrow," Neji shrugged as he started for the door. "Can never be too early, I suppose."

"Wait!" she called out.

Neji stopped, but didn't turn around.

"You'll come to my party…r-right?" she whispered, asking the question then because she knew she wouldn't find him when she returned from her 'date' with Ino and Sakura.

She watched his shoulders sag a little and then he turned slightly to offer her a small smile over his shoulder. When he nodded, Hinata let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"Will you be home all day?" he asked, lingering in the doorway, and Hinata was grateful for his attempt to show her that she needn't worry so much.

"No," she chuckled, "I have to meet Sakura and Ino for lunch. Party plans." She shrugged.

"Ah." He nodded, leaning on the doorjamb, a trait he seemed to have grown fond of, Hinata mused. "I still wonder why you even befriended those two. You're like…water and oil."

Hinata smiled ruefully, knowing he meant how different she was from her peers.

"I think… if it wasn't for school, I probably wouldn't even have." She paused, mentally thanking whoever had put them in the same dorm room.

Hinata could clearly recall not having been particularly close to the two girls when they had been in middle and elementary school. She had been quite shocked when they found themselves in the same boarding school, let alone the same room. It had been too much of a coincidence. But Ino and Sakura being the outgoing girls they were, had quickly bonded with her, and she had decided not to question it.

Neji snorted, pushing off the doorframe. "I suppose we can't really choose our friends or roommates…sometimes the same person being both." He added, after a second of contemplation.

Hinata chuckled, knowing that he was referring to his roommate, Rock Lee. Her brother and the ever green-clad 21-year-old were by far the most polar opposite people to ever be paired...that she knew of. But Hinata knew that despite all his grumbling and complaining, Neji considered the over exuberant boy his best friend.

Nodding at her one last time, Neji left the room, and Hinata was left sitting alone at the table with the cold remains of her family breakfast, as his footsteps echoed up the stairs.

* * *

X-X-X-X-X-X

* * *

Some hours later found Hinata sitting on a stool by the window in her room, earphones jammed in her ears with her favorite Mozart album on repeat. An easel sat in front of her, with what was a blank canvas a few hours prior, resting on it.

She loved to paint by an open window for two reasons. The breeze was refreshing and soothing, and sweaty hands were avoided, which was a good thing because sweaty fingers meant slippery strokes when she painted, which she absolutely abhorred. And as an added bonus, the gentle breeze helped the paint dry perfectly.

Hinata's brow furrowed in concentration as she carefully scrutinized her half-finished art. The once blank canvas now sported a different array of colors as the image in Hinata's head was slowly transferred to the paper.

She rolled her shoulders, feeling the effect of staying hunched over for so long. Her neck was a little stiff, which meant she clearly needed a new stool so she wouldn't have to lean over as much when she painted. Oh well, this just proved Naruto's point. She _had_ grown much taller in the past two years.

She sighed at the thought of her best friend. She still felt bad about turning down his offer to go bowling with him and her brother. She understood it had been his attempt at showing her that nothing had changed and he still considered her his best friend despite not having talked for two years. But that was just it. Hinata didn't want to be reminded; she knew that already… all too well, actually.

But she wanted to make it up to him, and she knew exactly how she'd do it. But, first things first…

She yawned as she stood, stretching her stiff limbs. She winced as she heard her joints pop, indicating that she had lost track of time and had stayed in the same position far too long. She glanced at her alarm clock.

11:13 AM, the analog read back to her.

She had spent nearly four hours on her painting and it wasn't even a quarter-way done. But she shrugged that off, knowing all great masterpieces took time to complete.

She sighed as she carefully picked her painting up and carried it to her closet, hating the fact that she had to hide it and any and all things art-related from her father and the rest of her family. Once it was safely out of sight, Hinata moved her paints and brushes next, gracefully sliding across the floors as she made sure not to spill anything.

She hummed along to the classical music still playing in her ears as she exited the closet, pulling the doors closed behind her. When she couldn't resist anymore, she held up her arms as if holding on to a partner and she was soon gliding around her room in a simple waltz, a content smile on her face. Her eyes closed as she got lost in the piano concerto, still gliding across the polished floors.

When the song ended, she sighed and flopped down on the bed, lying across it on her stomach. Her eyes immediately went to the pictures of her mother that sat on the nightstand beside her bed, and she slowly sat up so she could properly look them over.

She sighed as a finger ran across a picture of her mother playing the piano. She looked beautiful and perfectly at ease, with her dainty fingers resting on the keys and her eyes closed and unaware of the camera that had taken the snapshot.

Next to it sat a picture of her on her graduation day. This time dressed in her graduation gown, she stood with her rolled up certificates, awards and degree bundled up in her arms as she brightly smiled at the camera, her face practically glowing. Her hair, the same hair Hinata had inherited from her, was held away from her face by the cap on her head.

And next to it was the slightly larger full family photo.

Her parents stood next to each other, her father's arm around her mother's waist. An 11-year-old Neji stood in front of their father, smiling faintly, Hiashi's free hand on his shoulder. An 8-year-old Hinata stood next to him, one arm around a grinning 4-year-old Hanabi that stood in front of her, her other hand reaching up to grasp the hand her mother had laid on her shoulder.

Hinata sighed and averted her gaze, feeling her eyes sting with the tears that were threatening to fall. It had been little over a full decade since that picture was taken and her family lost their mother, but she still had yet to come to terms with the loss.

She blinked, rubbing at her eyes furiously as she suddenly noticed the five different college brochures that sat on the wooden surface of the nightstand right next to the pictures. She sighed, realizing that Neji had probably left them there on purpose when he had been in her room the night before.

She picked them up, scanning each one for a few seconds, recognizing the schools her father had suggested at breakfast among them. Her eyes lingered on the last one.

The Suna Institute of the Performing Arts.

_SIPA? But….how could he have known…? _She thought blankly_._

She shook her head. Her brother knew her like the back of his hand, so she really shouldn't even have been surprised. She pursed her lips as she read the name of the institution again.

It was the same name on the building in the background on her mother's graduation picture.

The performing arts school, which was located in Suna, a province on the other side of the country, was a prestigious institution. It was where her mother had learnt and perfected her skills; Opera and the classical instruments, particularly the piano, the violin and the harp. Of course, back then, the instruments had been more popular than they were now.

The school had evolved along with the rest of the world and now offered a more modern acting and music program along with everything else. Its art program was still reportedly one of the best in the country, and unbeknownst to her father, Hinata had been dreaming about going to that school, like her mother did, since she was a little girl.

"What should I do, mother?" she asked the pictures. "Father wants me to go to business school…but... I want to go to SIPA."

Not surprisingly, the picture didn't respond and Hinata sighed and replaced the brochures. She flinched when she suddenly noticed that someone was knocking at her door. Carefully removing her earphones, Hinata listened intently. Sure enough, the knock came again, this time along with a stiff call of her name.

Wiping her face quickly, Hinata crossed the room and opened the door, not surprised to find a butler there.

"Sorry to disturb you, Lady Hinata," he bowed.

Hinata waved a dismissive hand. "It's alright, Naki-san," she smiled. "How may I help you?"

"A Miss Yamanaka is calling for you," he said as he handed her the cordless phone.

Frowning slightly as she accepted the device, Hinata wondered why her friend hadn't just called her cell instead of the house phone, and then she remembered that she'd been listening to music all morning.

Oh boy, Ino was probably pissed.

"Hello?" she answered tentatively.

"_Finally!"_ Ino shrieked. _"I've been calling your cell since forever_!"

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Ino! I've been wearing earphones all morning," she apologized, waving Naki away. But the man didn't budge, much to her irritation, probably waiting for Hinata's call to end so he could return the phone to its proper cradle somewhere in the mansion.

Hinata sighed in frustration, partly because the man wouldn't leave but mostly because she couldn't understand what Ino was saying due to the raucous going on wherever she was. She was able to pick out Sakura's voice yelling in the background, closely followed by what sounded like Sasuke shouting.

"_WILL YOU BOTH SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY! I'M TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION OVER HERE!" _

Hinata winced, holding the phone away from her ear, as Ino proceeded to yell some very unladylike words at the poor unfortunate souls. Even Naki seemed disturbed, Hinata noted as she waited for her blonde friend to calm down. Well, at least calm enough to have a conversation.

"Ino, calm down and tell me what happened." She instructed gently.

"_Oh Hina-darling, it's so awful!"_ she sniffed.

"What, what happened?" Hinata asked, dread clawing at her. If she wasn't immediately going to berate her for forgetting about her phone, then something serious must have happened.

"_The flowers are ruined!"_ Ino wailed. _"They're all wilted and dead and..and...gross!"_

Hinata resisted the urge to throw the phone at the wall. Naki was now sporting an exasperated frown, having overheard the blonde's wail.

Oh. The party flowers were dead. Quick, someone call the cops.

"Ino, seriously…" Hinata trailed off as Sasuke and Sakura's argument escalated again.

"_I told Baka Sasuke to make sure that-"_

"_For the last time, it's not my damn fault your stupid flowers are dead!"_

"_BOTH OF YOU CAN IT!"_ Ino snapped, and they both fell silent. Not surprising, considering Ino could be quite terrifying in cases of emergency. _"Anyways, I just called to tell ya that it's going to take all day to sort this mess out, I'm afraid we have to reschedule our lunch, doll."_

"Oh, what a shame," Hinata answered, even though she was grinning. She could have sworn she saw Naki roll his eyes. "Okay then, I'll see you guys at the rehearsals for the grad ceremony tomorrow then… Okay, bye!"

She handed the phone back to her butler, still grinning.

"I assume you won't be staying for lunch then, Miss?" he asked.

"No, I won't," she shook her head, going to close the door, when she remembered something important. "Oh, and Father said he is not to be disturbed for the rest of the day, so please let Hitori-san know so she doesn't call him for lunch."

"Ah. Master Neji has already informed her."

"Oh, okay then. Please, don't let me keep you from your duties, Naki-san." She smiled at him, waving a hand.

"If you'll excuse me, Miss." He bowed stiffly and then walked away.

Hinata frowned at his back for a moment, scowling at the treatment. She was no princess for crying out loud, when would they learn. Shrugging, she closed her door and practically skipped to her bathroom, sour mood forgotten in the meantime, as she mentally ran through what she should wear.

* * *

X-X-X-X-X-X

* * *

Hinata descended the spiraling staircase for the second time that day, feeling refreshed after her shower. Her hair was back in the high ponytail she had tied earlier that morning, albeit with a few curls this time thanks to her curling iron and she was feeling comfy in her favorite flowing blue sundress with the three shoulder straps, and some plain white ballet pumps.

Flipping her phone closed after checking the time, Hinata quickly grabbed her favorite white coat from the rack she'd hung it on the previous night and walked out of the mansion, pulling the door closed behind her. It was really hot outside, it being summertime and all, but she knew it would be chilly by the time she got back.

Sighing contentedly, Hinata made her way to the garage, humming a happy tune to herself as she stopped in front of it, a finger reaching over to press the button. As the heavy metal door slowly rose, Hinata tapped her foot patiently, mentally calculating if she'd need to stop by the gas station depending on how much fuel was in her car's tank.

She continued humming even as she removed the protective covering from her baby. Hinata couldn't stop the grin that appeared on her face as she took in the sky blue colored convertible she'd gotten as a 16th birthday present. Still grinning, se unlocked the door and climbed into the driver's seat, buckling her seatbelt as she inhaled deeply.

The car was spotless. Not surprising, someone must have been assigned to clean it every day while she was at school.

After lowering the roof, she popped in her favorite Demi CD, and started the engine, craning her neck to look as she backed out of the garage. Contrary to what Ino believed, she wasn't always listening to 'boring classical junk.'

The gate was already open by the time she'd turned the car around, and with one wave at the gateman and a foot on the gas, Hinata was out of the yard and on the road, loving the feel of the wind in her hair as she absently sang along to the pop music blaring from her radio.

* * *

X-X-X-X-X-X

* * *

About half an hour later, slightly delayed thanks to the two stops she'd made, Hinata reached her destination. She carefully parked the car in the driveway, making sure the hood was in the shade before she put the car in park.

"I can do this," she muttered to herself as she turned the engine off, "I. Can. Do. This."

Nodding once, she undid her seat belt and jumped out, closing the car door. She inhaled and exhaled lightly as she pressed the auto lock on her keys, hearing the satisfying click as the alarm engaged.

She started humming to distract herself as she made her way to the front door and rang the doorbell. She had to ring it three times before she heard movement inside the house.

"Coming!" a voice called a few minutes later, scratchy with what she presumed was sleep.

Biting back a smile, Hinata continued humming, the carrier bag slung over her arm swinging slightly as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. _**(A/N: This sentence sounded gross to me…for some reason lol)**_

The door swung open and Hinata grinned as she watched him trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes before he noticed her standing there, eyes widening comically.

"Hinata!"

"He-hey Naruto," she stuttered softly, and mentally face-palmed. _'No stuttering, no stammering and no stumbling,' _she mentally scolded. "…did I wake you?" she asked pleasantly, knowing full well that he'd been napping on the couch… as he always did on Sunday afternoons.

"Ha Ha. Very funny, Hyuuga." He drawled sarcastically as he rolled his eyes."

"And what did I tell you about rolling your eyes?" she demanded.

Naruto scoffed. "Not that I'm not overjoyed to have my sleep disturbed, but what are you doing here?"

"Do you want me to leave?" she asked with mock-hurt, pouting slightly for added effect.

He grinned. This was so them, just like the old days.

"I'm sorry I didn't go bowling with you," she started, holding up a finger when he opened his mouth to protest, "SO…I'm here to make it up to you."

He looked ready to protest, but then as she had suspected it would, curiosity won over befuddlement.

"How?" he asked, suspicion lacing his voice.

She smiled as she handed the bag over. He took it after only a moment's hesitation. "What's in it?" he asked, instead of opening it.

"I'm sure you'll like it." She prompted. "Go on and open it."

"Is it ramen?" he asked, with childish glee.

Hinata sighed and shook her head patiently.

"Is it-"

"Open it, Naruto." She interrupted, exasperated.

He frowned but opened the bag nonetheless, his expression instantly morphing into an excited grin. "Oh. No. Freaking. Way!" he gasped dramatically as he removed the DVD, holding it up for Hinata to see, even though she was the one that had brought it. "Were did you find it?" he whispered, awe apparent in his voice and demeanor.

Hinata chuckled. "I got it at the mall video store, duh. Where else would I find it?"

"Seriously?!" he shouted incredulously. "No fair! They're always out of stock when I go there!" he ducked his head to rummage further in the bag. "Hey! You got popcorn too!"

"With the movie theater butter," they said at the same time.

Naruto blinked at her a few times, and then launched himself on her, trapping her in a smothering hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Hina-chan! You're the bestest bestest best friend a guy could ask for!"

"You're…welc..ome," she managed to wheeze between laughs.

"No, no, I mean it," he insisted. He was still grinning at the DVD cover over her shoulder, momentarily forgetting that he was still hugging her and more than a little distracted. "You're the good peeps, dude. It's why I love ya, you know."

Hinata's laughter died almost instantly, her façade slipping. She knew he was joking and meant it in a 'we're besties' kind of way, but that was just….oh, Kami, the universe was against her. She was certain of it.

By the time he pulled away, she was back to 'normal', smiling cheerfully.

"Well, don't just stand there," he laughed, yanking her inside, "the popcorn isn't going to pop itself. I'm gonna go pop this bad boy in."

He was still grinning like an idiot, as he practically ran to the living room, knowing that Hinata knew where the kitchen was. She sighed as she made her way to it, pleasantly surprised when she found it spotless. Naruto wasn't exactly knit-pick neat, but he wasn't a slob either.

"HOLY CRAP! YOU GOT THE EXTENDED EDITION!"

Hinata jumped at the sudden shout, dropping the bag of popcorn. She chuckled as she bent to pick it up, just as the familiar sounds of the opening credits of Scott Pilgrim Vs The World rang out through the house. She sighed again as she popped the bag in the microwave, setting the timer appropriately.

"HINA-CHAN! HURRY UP! YOU'RE MISSING IT!"

Hinata wanted to remind him that they could easily rewind it, but then he would just keep rewinding all his favorite parts, which was all of them and considering it was a near 3 hour long movie; this would probably be a very long afternoon.

But even as she waited for the popcorn to pop, Hinata knew that the time would fly by extremely fast, as it always did when she spent time with him.

"OI, HYUUGA! THIS THING IS ON PAUSE! PAUSE! DON'T MAKE ME COME DRAG YOU ALL THE WAY BACK HERE!"

And so against her better judgment, Hinata allowed herself to be dragged back into the living room.

And as a result, they had to enjoy partially burnt popcorn during the movie, but it was undoubtedly, one of the best afternoons of Hinata's life.

* * *

X-X-X-X-X-X

* * *

**So, I explained a few things in this chappie, BUT there's still more to the story! So, please review, and i'll update ASAP!**

**- Chelty-Chan (-:**


End file.
